Electronic devices such as smartphones or notebook computers, etc., are gradually becoming slimmer, and consequently the various parts assembled therewithin are also becoming smaller. In particular, connectors that connect parts and printed circuit boards (PCBs) are also becoming smaller and slimmer.
Connectors include flexible printed circuit (FPC) connectors that connect a FPC board and PCB. Typically, a FPC connector consists of a housing into which the FPC is inserted, and an actuator that locks/unlocks the FPC to/from the housing.
In an FPC connector of the prior art having such a configuration, in particular in the case of a low-profile connector, the upper surface of the housing which was fabricated from plastic would often be damaged when the FPC was inserted into the housing so as to press the actuator.
To address this problem, connectors reinforced by mounting a housing metal shell in the housing have been developed, and such a connector is disclosed in Republic of Korea Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-0109482 (hereinafter “Reference 1”) under the name of an “electrical connector for use in a circuit board.”
Accordingly, because the FPC connectors of the prior art were grounded only to the PCB and not to the FPC, the problem arose that electromagnetic interference (EMI, NOISE) made high-speed signal transmission impossible.
To solve this problem, in Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-0132821 (hereinafter “Reference 2”), a connector having both a plurality of surface mount technology (SMT) ground terminals grounded to the PCB and a plurality of ground terminals grounded to the FPC is disclosed, under the name of a “flexible connector for high-speed signal transmission.”
Although said References 1 and 2 advantageously reinforce connector strength and block electromagnetic interference, neither is able to effectively block external physical shocks and electromagnetic interference.
Specifically, the References have the problem that although they reinforce the strength of the housing by furnishing a housing metal shell, they leave the problem completely unaddressed of the strength of the actuator that opens/closes to lock/unlock.
In addition, it must be borne in mind that there is no ability to block electromagnetic interference in Reference 1; and in Reference 2, although there is the capacity partially to block electromagnetic interference due to the conductive structure connecting the FPC, shell, and PCB, it is not possible to form a protective film that blocks electromagnetic interference across the entire connector.